Ethical College Admission

As university entrance exams are getting fiercer, competition for admission to US colleges is even more intense in Korea, China, and Hong Kong. One of the parents in Korea I met was running a sizable company, and they asked if I could help their son who is attending a foreign high school in Korea. The story of these parents is that their son has a lot of problems with his friends in his school and he doesn’t adjust well both socially and academically, so his grades aren’t good. They asked if I can make up his student profile for college admission, and they added that the fee is not a concern.

First of all, making up something that doesn’t even exist is like poisoning the student’s future, no matter which college he goes to.  Those parents, who send their children to college by making false specs, are disabling their children and taking away the chance to improve and grow.  They will  always question their ability to succeed, and whether or not they will adapt well is another big issue.

I responded to the parents that lying about their kid was not only unethical and an honor violation, and I informed them that any college admissions officer would immediately recognize the claim as false.  Even when I review student’s activity lists, I can clearly tell which activity was authentic and which was not. Then the admission officers who review thousands of applications would be able to verify very easily.

“Trust but verify” is a phrase typically attributed to President Ronald Reagan in relation to nuclear disarmament, however it is actually an old Russian proverb. “Trust but verify” indicates that others have morals and will attempt to do the right thing and a practical desire not to be taken advantage of.

In addition, The admission officers also have a verification process after receiving the application for admission, so students are asked to send evidence of activities written in the application or a verification letter. If the verification is not done in a satisfying manner, the university application itself will be revoked.

We must ensure that the admissions process is fair and equal, that those with money do not go ahead of the queue, and that those who fabricate or embellish their credentials are not rewarded. We shouldn’t take advantage of a trust-based admission process, while colleges enforce making decisions based on reliable data.